Oral Care in Cancer Survivorship
Oral Care in Cancer Survivorship
Oral Care in Cancer Survivorship
Cancer Survivorship Overview
Cancer survivorship involves the journey of individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer, undergone treatment, and are living beyond the disease. Survivorship begins at the time of diagnosis and extends throughout the lifespan, requiring ongoing support and care to address potential long term side effects of cancer and its treatment, such as physical disabilities, psychological distress, and the risk of recurrence.
Advances in cancer detection and treatment have led to a growing number of cancer survivors, emphasizing the importance of survivorship care for promoting health maintenance, and quality of life post treatment.
Cancer Survivorship: Encouraging Numbers
Resilience in cancer survivorship.
According to the information sourced from the American Cancer Society1, as of January 2022, about 18.1 million people in the United States have survived cancer, which is around 5.4% of the total population. By 2032, this number is expected to increase by about 24.4% to reach 22.5 million survivors. Looking further ahead, it’s estimated that by 2040, there will be approximately 26 million cancer survivors.
Over the next ten years, the number of people who have lived at least 5 years after being diagnosed with cancer is projected to go up by around 30%, reaching 16.3 million. In 2022, around 69% of survivors will have lived for 5 or more years since their diagnosis, 47% will have lived for 10 or more years, and 18% will have lived for 20 or more years after their diagnosis.
Challenges in Cancer Survivorship
Cancer survivorship presents a range of challenges that extend beyond the completion of treatment. One significant aspect is managing the prolonged side effects of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. These treatments can lead to various physical and emotional challenges, including fatigue, pain, neuropathy, cognitive difficulties, and oral side effects, impacting survivors’ quality of life. Additionally, survivors may face psychosocial challenges, such as anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and difficulty adjusting to life after cancer.
Oral Health in Cancer Survivorship
Cancer survivorship presents various side effects and challenges.
Specific to oral health, chemotherapy and radiation therapy induced oral side effects, like chemo mouth, can manifest as oral mucositis, xerostomia (dry mouth), and changes in taste (metallic taste), making eating and swallowing difficult. The compromised oral cavity can further contribute to nutritional deficiencies and affect overall systemic health. Comprehensive survivorship care addressing these multifaceted challenges is essential to supporting cancer survivors in their journey towards long term health and well being.
Oral Heal Impacts Overall Systemic Health
Oral health plays a crucial role in overall systemic health, with connections that extend far beyond just the mouth. The mouth serves as a gateway to the body, and poor oral hygiene can lead to a host of systemic issues. Bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can enter the bloodstream, contributing to conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory infections, and even adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Periodontal disease, in particular, has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke due to the inflammatory response it triggers. Moreover, chronic inflammation from oral infections can exacerbate existing systemic conditions and impair the body’s ability to heal. Conversely, maintaining good oral health through regular brushing, flossing, and regular dental examinations can help reduce the risk of systemic diseases and promote overall well being.
Oral health significantly impacts overall health in cancer survivorship.
Thus, recognizing the integral relationship between oral health and systemic health underscores the importance of comprehensive dental care as an essential component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially for cancer survivors.
Moreover, poor oral health in cancer survivors can significantly affect systemic health issues and their overall well being. Therefore, for cancer survivors, maintaining optimal oral health becomes even more critical, as it not only supports their ability to eat and communicate effectively but also plays a vital role in preventing secondary health complications and promoting a better quality of life post-treatment.
Regular dental care, preventive measures, and meticulous oral hygiene practices using natural oral care products, such as, H2Ocean saltwater rinse is essential component of survivorship care plans to address the unique oral health needs of cancer survivors. H2Ocean Red Sea salt based saltwater rinse is the solution to chemo mouth and safely managing oral side effects of cancer treatment.
H2Ocean Red Sea Saltwater Rinse stands out as a safe, effective, and fast acting solution for managing oral side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.